Dental mallet.



No. 858,914. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.

' G. H. SHANNON.

DENTAL MALLET.

APPLIQM'IUNl FILED JULY 19.1906.

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WITNESSES rus nomas PETERS cu., wAsmNcroN, n. c,

GEORGE HENRY SHANNON, OF CAMBRIDGE, NEW YORK.

DENTAL MALLET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed July 19, 1906. Serial No. 326,848.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, GEORGE HENRY SHANNON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cambridge, in the county of Washington and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Dental Mallet, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a right and left-hand dental mallet of simple, durable and economic construction, wherein all the working parts are concealed and the device is given a plain cylindrical exterior, thus removing obstructions calculated to interfere with a perfect view of the interior of the mouth during the progress of work therein.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a tamping point for thedevice, which is so shaped that any cavity no matter where located in the teeth ofthe upper or the lower set may be conveniently reached and packed, and so that the operator, by reason of his mirror, can have a perfect view of the action of the point at all times and under all conditions.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan view ofthe improved device; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the same; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view of the striking or hammer mechanism, illustrating the members of said part in normal position; Fig. 4 is a vi'ew`similar to that shown in Fig. 3, but illustrating the position of the members when a blow has been struck; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken practically on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a similar section taken practically on the line 6-6 of Fig. 2; and Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the tamping point.

The body of the device consists of a hollow cylindrical section 10 and tapering tubular end pieces 11 secured thereto. A shaft 12 extends through the body from end to end, being mounted to turn therein, and at each end of the shaft a tapering socket 13 is formed, polygonal in cross section, which socket receives the shanks 14 of tamping points.A. These shanks may be held in their sockets in any approved manner. As shown the Shanks are provided with recesses 15, which receive the heads of springs 16 secured in said sockets. Each tamping point is provided with an angular terminal to be brought in engagement with the lling, and said terminal consists, as is shownin Fig. 7, of a member 17 which in the working position of the point extends horizontally at right angles from the shank 14,

and a second, preferably tapering, member 18 that extends vertically downward from the outer end portion of the member 17. y

It is obvious that by the direction in which the member 18 is bent from the member 17 and the shank 14, these members constitute either right-hand or left-hand operating points. 1n other words, the terminal of the member 18 can be directed either to the right or to the left-hand side of the shank 14 when the point is manufactured; and if smaller points A, either right or left, be placed one in each end of the shaft 12, the operator rby using either the one or the other end of the mallet,

can direct a blow to the right or to the left-hand side of the cavity on which he is working without stopping to change the points, it being understood that in this instance the working terminal of one point would be directed to the opposite side of the shank to that of the working terminal at the opposite end of the mallet, thus obviating the operator stopping work to change points.

By placing like points of different sizes in the ends of the instrument the operator can have a choice of differ'- ent sized points or working surfaces.

A further advantage is that in either case the operator need not lose the time involved in changing points, which expenditure of time would be necessary should only one end of the mallet be available.

Thus it will be observed that by the aid of the customary mirror the working of the point can be rendered clearly visible during the entire progress of the work, no matter where the cavity being operated upon may Abe located.

At one end portion of the cylindrical member 10 a ring 19 is interiorly secured, and the shaft 12 passes through said ring. The shaft 12 is held in normal position but is still permitted to turn under tension to the right or to the left by passing a pin 21 through the shaft to a bearing upon springs 20, which extend inward from the ring 19 in parallelism at each side of the shaft as shown in Fig. 2.

A collar 22 is securedupon the shaft 12 adjacent to the pin`21, and a sleeve B surrounds this portion of the shaft, being fixed to the cylindrical member 10 ofthe body. This sleeve extends to about the central portion of the said cylindrical member 10 of the body, and is cut away longitudinally at its inner portion as is shown in Fig. 2, and terminates at its inner end in a semi-circular fork 24 provided with beveled or inclined surfaces 25 at one side of the terminal portions.

The fork 24 is a spacing fork, and is adapted to operate in conjunction with a locking sleeve 26 and a hammer head C to separate the two said parts when the blow is to be struck upon the shaft 12, which shaft where the two said parts are located is provided with a longitudinal fixed anvil block 23. The locking sleeve 26 is mounted to slide on the shaft l2 and is provided with a longitudinal slot 26L for the reception of the said anvil block, as is shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 4A The locking sleeve 26 at the end which faces the hammer head G is provided at each side of the openings 261L with a segmental flange 27, and each fiange at the slot 26L is provided with an offset locking member 28, adapted for engagement with the hammer head C for a purpose to be hereinafter stated, and the lower edges of the said flanges are beveled correspondingly to the bevel of the spacing fork 24, as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The beveled surfaces 29 `of the iianges 27 and the beveled surfaces 25 of the fork 24 are normally in engagement, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The locking sleeve 26 is normally held against the hammer head C by a spring 30 coiled around the shaft l2 and having bearing against the sleeve 26 and the collar 22 as shown in Fig. 2.

The hammer head C is provided with an attached sleeve 3l, and the hammer head and said sleeve are mounted to turn on the shaft 12. The sleeve and hammer head are prevented from having end movement by securing a collar 32 on the shaft engaging with the sleeve 3l as is shown in Fig. 2. The hammer head C is provided with a circumferential recess 33 in its periphery, since the hammer head is circular in general contour; and one end ofthe anvil block 23 extends into the said recess as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. When the parts are in normal position the extended portion ofthe anvil block 23 will be centrally located in the said recess 33, as is shown in Fig. 3, and the end walls 34 of the recesses 33 constitute striking faces and are adapted for engagement with the sides of the anvil block 23, as is shown in Fig. 4. When the device is operated to the right, one of said striking faces is brought into action and the other is carried out of action, and vice versa.

A second small recess 35 is produced in the outer face of the hammer head C, the recess 35 being diametrically opposite the central portion of the longer recess 33; and one end of a torsion spring 36 is made to enter the recess 35, and said torsion spring 36 is attached to a ring 37, which is mounted to turn in the cylinder l0 adjacent to that end of the cylinder opposite that in which the xed ring 19 is located. This ring 37 is provided with a circumferential recess 38 in one side, and a second ring 39, preferably having a milled outer face is loosely mounted upon the exterior of the cylinder l0 as shown in Figs. l and 2. A screw 40 is carried through the outer ring 39 into the recess 38 of the inner ring, and this recess 3S is wide enough to permit the inner ring 37 to be moved more or less in direction of the ends of the device. Another v screw 4l is passed through the outer ring 39 at a point diametrically opposite to the screw 40; and the screw 4l is made to pass through a circumferential slot 42 produced in the cylinder lO as shownvbest in Figl. The inner longitudinal wall of the slot 42 is more or .less scalloped or indented, practically forming teeth is carried out from engagement with the teeth 43, and theI two rings 37 and 39 can then be turned to place the spring 36 under desired tension to cause the striking faces 34 of the hammer head to engage more or less violently with the anvil block 23.

In operation it is obvious that the angular terminal of the tamping point A enables a eavity to he readily reached, and that the working surface, oi' the point heing at one side of the body ol its shank enables the operator to have a clear view of said working surface while the mallet is in use.

When pressure induced by a rotary motion ot' the hand holding a mallet is brought to hear upon either one of the tamping points A employed, the cylinder l0 and its accoinpanying end piece ll. will turn to the right or to the left according to the direction in which the operator works, and the cylinder in so turning will cause one or the other of the members of the spacing fork 24 to engage with the beveled surface el the flange 29 on the locking sleeve, and .thus force the locking members 2S of said sleeve out from (.ngagement with the hammer head C, as is shown in Fig. fi, permitting the spring 36 to act on said head and turn the head sulliciently to bring one or the other of the striking faces in engagement with the anvil block, thus dealing the anvil block a sharp blow, the impulse of which by reason ol the connections between the anvil bleek, the shaft l2 and the tamping point A in action, is transmitted to the material to be tamped, condensing the same. When the cylinder l0 is permitted to assume its normal position, which is accomplished mainly through the medium oi the pin 2l. and the springs 2t), and when the tamping point in action has been lifted from contact with the tilling material and thus released, the shaft is restored to its normal position and the spacing fork will be turned in a manner to relieve the locking sleeve from pressure, and said sleeve will return to its locking position relatively to the hammer head, which position is shown in Fig. 3, and at such time the locking members 2S are in engagement one with eaeh striking face 34.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent,-

l. In a dental mallet, a tamping point having its working end at right angles to its shank and extending to a point below the same.

L. In a dental mallet, a tamping point having an angularly disposed working' end surface, comprising a con nccting member that extends at an angle from the shank of ,the tool, and a terminal member that extends from the connecting member at an angle thereto.

3. In a dental mullet, a tampingr tool in one piece, coinprising a shank fitted at one end for attachment; to a dental mallet. and a tamping point, at the opposite end. which point comprises a workinglmemher at one side of the shank und at an angie thereto` and a connecting member at an angle to the shank and the working' member.

4. In a dental mallet, a body section, a shaft: mounted to rotate therein, tension devices for the said shaft. a tensioircontrolled hammer' head mounted to turn ou the shaft, an anvil block carried by the shaft and extending over the hammer head, and a tension-controlled loeking sleeve for the hammer head, operated lrv the rotation ot the body around the shaft.

5. In a dental mallet, a body, a shaft mounted to turn in the said body, springs carried hy the body and engaging with the shaft, which springs retain the shaft in normal position and permit it to rock to the right or to the left, a tension-controlled hammer head mounted to turn on the shaft, an anvil block secured to the shaft and cxil (l lil() llt) tending over the hammer head, a locking sleeve for the hammer head slidably mounted on the shaft, and means for separating the locking sleeve from the hammer head by the rotation of the body of the device.

6. In a dental mallet, a body, a spring-controlled shaft mounted to turn in the body, a hammer head mounted to turn on the shaft, a torsion spring engaging the hammer head, exteriorly operated meansfor regulating the tension of the said torsion spring, an anvil block secured to the shaft and extending over the hammer head, a springcontrolled locking sleeve normally in locking engagement with the hammer head, and a spacing device for the said locking sleeve, operated by the rotation of the body around the shaft.

7. In a dental mallet, a body section, a spring-controlled shaft mounted to rock in said body, a tension-controlled hammer head mounted to turn on the shaft, means for regulating said tension, the said hammer head being provided With a recess forming opposing striking faces, an anvil block secured to the shaft and extending over the hammer head between its striking faces, a spring-controlled sleeve having guided and sliding movement on the shaft and provided with flanges having their lower ends beveled, which anges are also provided with locking members having normal engagement with the striking faces of the hammer head, and a spacing fork normally engaging with a side face of said hammer head, the terminals of which fork are beveled to engage with the beveled surfaces of the flanges of the locking sleeve, the said spacing fork being attached to the said body.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

GEORGE HENRY SHANNON. Witnesses ALFRED G. HILL, LYMAN A. CLARK. 

